How we change what others think, feel, believe and do

Easiest Way

Techniques > Interrogation > Easiest Way

Description | Example | Discussion | See also

Description

Tell the other person that the easiest way for them is to give you the information you need.

Persist. Wear them down. Keep asking questions. Do not let them rest. Show them that all routes lead to further discomfort except the one you want them to take.

Example

Look, we've been talking about this for ages now and I'm going to go home. If you'd like to go home too, why don't you just tell me now and I'll make sure you get a lift to the door.

I can make this more difficult, you know. We've hardly begun. Why don't you just tell me now and we'll call it quits.

Discussion

After many hours of questioning the advice to confess, 'so you can go home', may become very seductive.

Willpower is like energy. It can be worn down. And as it does, the easier route of answering the question becomes more and more attractive.

The other person may believe that a quick confession will solve all of their problems. Whilst this may well not be the case, the interrogator may well allow and encourage them to believe this.